In his inaugural address, President Obama offered few new specifics about how he will handle America's two wars. He thanked the troops for their courage and sacrifice, and pledged to "responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan."

Iraqi security forces loyal to the Shiite-led government are raiding voter registration centers and taking other steps to discourage participation in upcoming elections, says the head of Iraq's voting regulatory agency.

The AFL-CIO plans to begin airing an ad in six presidential battleground states on Thursday that features a Vietnam combat veteran criticizing John McCain's stance on the war in Iraq and on veterans issues.

Even in the chin-high piles of roadside rubble, the crumbled cinderblock and the eerily empty streets of this neighborhood in western Mosul, America's top military officer sees hope. But he also sees peril and an urgent need to get the economy going -- jobs, services, some semblance of regular life.